Centesimus Quinquagesimus Quintus: July 7, 2009: Bacchor
Theme for the remainder of the month: Alphabet Soup
bacchor, bacchari, bacchatus sum
Definition: to celebrate the festival of Bacchus, i.e. to revel, rave, rage
Sententia: Vergil's Aeneid 4.665-666
It clamor ad alta
atria; concussam bacchatur Fama per urbem.
The shouting goes to the lofty halls; Rumor rages through the city having been struck.
For those of you not familiar with the Aeneid, this is the scene in which Rumor personified spreads the tale of Dido and Aeneas' scandalous activities in the cave.
"Bacchor" is used in the Aeneid several times, in Books 4 and 6, and also in Catullus 64. It comes from the rites of Bacchus, which are celebrated by women raving and behaving crazily. Consequently, the word is formed from "Bacchus" made into a verb with "-o."
NB: Bold and underline == macron